This application is the national phase of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP2011/074380 that has an International filing date of Oct. 24, 2011 and designated the United States of America and claims priority to Japanese Patent App. No. JP2011/132953 that was filed on Jun. 15, 2011.
Some disclosed embodiments relate to a current detection device for detecting a current flowing through a busbar.
Some related art vehicles, such as hybrid automobiles and electric automobiles include a current detection device for detecting a current flowing through a busbar connected to a battery. Some exemplary current detection devices are a magnetic proportion-type current detection device and a magnetic balance-type current detection device.
The magnetic proportion type or the magnetic balance type current detection device include a magnetic core and a magneto-electric conversion element, as shown in JP H10-104279A, JP 2006-166528A, and JP 2009-58451A, for example. The magnetic core is a magnetic member substantially in the shape of a ring with a gap portion, resulting in two ends facing each other across the gap portion, and formed in one piece so as to surround a hole portion through which a busbar passes. The hole portion of the magnetic member is a space through which the current that is to be detected flows.
Also, in related art current detection devices, the magnetic core is structured such that multiple thin plate-shaped members, each of which is substantially ring-shaped and made of a magnetic material, are stacked with an adhesive material placed between them. Hereinafter, a magnetic core having this kind of structure will be referred to as a stacked-type magnetic core.
Furthermore, the magneto-electric conversion element is disposed in the gap portion of the magnetic core, and is an element that detects magnetic flux that changes in accordance with the current that flows through the busbar disposed so as to pass through the hole portion, and then outputs a magnetic flux detection signal as an electrical signal. A Hall element is typically used as the magneto-electric conversion element.
Also, as disclosed in JP 2009-128116A, in current detection devices, the magnetic core and the magneto-electric conversion element are in many cases supported in a fixed positional relationship by an insulating casing. The multiple components constituting the current detection device are positioned in a fixed positional relationship by this casing. Note that the casing is generally constituted using an insulating resin member.
Also, as disclosed in JP S57-39902A, in an electrical junction box for vehicle mounting, for example, an electrical part and a busbar may be electrically connected via junction terminals constituted by conductors.
Two junction terminals are respectively electrically connected to an anterior busbar and a posterior busbar in the electrical junction box, and a connection port for the insertion of a terminal portion of the electrical part is formed in each junction terminal. Two terminal portions shaped as plates that protrude from the electrical part in the same direction are then simply inserted into the connection ports of the two junction terminals, thus being clamped and held by the two junction terminals. The two terminal portions of the electrical part are thus electrically connected to the anterior and posterior busbars via the two junction terminals.
If the electrical part is provided with two terminal portions shaped as plates that protrude in the same direction, the terminal portions are electrically connected to the busbars with the simple operation of inserting them into the connection ports of the two junction terminals that have been provided in advance.